INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS SMALL SIZE CLASSES LONDON

[Hannahjade123]

Hello

We are currently looking for a nurturing and loving school environment where my girl can truly thrive. A setting with small class sizes, a gentle approach to learning, and a strong pastoral ethos is very important to us. We’re not seeking a highly academic environment, but rather one that fosters emotional security, confidence, and a love of learning at my daughters own pace.

My daughter has additional needs and will have an EHCP in place. It’s important to us that her future school has a strong and supportive SENCo department that works closely with families to meet each child’s unique needs.

i am looking for an independent school in central london with SMALL SIZE CLASSES.

Please, if anyone knows please do let me know

I'd have a look at Cameron Vale, Home page Cameron Vale School and Chelsea Nursery. It's got small class sizes and has the reputation for being nurturing, and have good pastoral care.

Thanks so much. We are going for a meeting there. I’m speaking with them. Is there any more schools like this ?

Clifton Lodge is also worth a look Clifton Lodge School as is Chepstow House ᐅTop School in Notting Hill, London ᐅ Chepstow House School and Rosemary Works Welcome to Rosemary Works School | Independent Primary School.

Which side of London your at? Or totally central?

How small do you want the class sizes? How old is your child? Plus what’s their needs?

The problem is small then they can merge with co Ed’s …. (happened twice with mine!)

EHCP - what does that state? As fine EHCP in a private school however depends what it states vs the needs of your daughter. Any 1 to 1? As that first 13 hrs is paid by the parents (if it’s not named in section I of the EHCP) EHCP are not fab especially in private mainstream they can off roll if the child isn’t keeping up / decide the child doesn’t fit the jelly mould of “their” school - so EHCP in independent MS are defo not a golden ticket (almost protected better in the state system) .

ive experienced lots of schools (independents mainstreams) lots of children but based on one girls school has been the more inclusive out of all of them - significantly. However, the child will still need to keep up with the peers …..

Plus depends on the age of the child and the pressure / exams. Easier when they are younger when getting closer to secondary harder to fill the gap between a sen child and a NT child. Things start changing at the end of year 5/6 as exams / schools all about the results …..

When you say small classes, how small do you mean? Additional needs covers a wide range of presentations. What are DD’s needs?

As that first 13 hrs is paid by the parents (if it’s not named in section I of the EHCP)

If the independent school isn’t named in section I of the EHCP, the LA doesn’t have to fund any of the fees or special educational provision. They are entitled to say the parent is making suitable alternative arrangements, thereby relieving them of their duty. Some LAs will sometimes come to an agreement whereby the parents pay the fees and the LA fund some or all of the SEP, but they don’t have to and such arrangements are less common than they were in the past.

Cavendish girls prep in NW1 has class sizes of 12-16. Non-selective and nurturing, but it prepares for 11+ so it is quite academic.

Dallington in Islington and Children's House in Highbury might be worth looking at too.

For very small class sizes you might want to look at certain SEN schools like Fairley House or Abingdon House - whether these are suitable will depend on the nature of the SEN and EHCP.

We know someone at st Augustine’s in Ealing and the size is around 10

I had a terrible time at the children’s house and cannot recommend them at all. The school has a very over the top neuro diversity is a superpower attitude because they want to position themselves as very inclusive and positive in that respect but with little regard for the feelings of the individual children or the parents wishes. My son joined in January 2025 and in March 2025 the school SENDco held a class without our consent and against my sons wishes telling his peers that he had autism (we’d only just received the diagnosis and hadn’t even had the doctors report back yet) and that it is his superpower (a term we’d explicitly said we didn’t want them to use when talking to our child). My son was completely distraught and humiliated, it has had a hugely negative impact on his mental health, something he struggled with before they did this to him. He didn’t want to go back to the school after they did this and so we had to pull him out. The school have behaved so appallingly in the aftermath of this even though they had to report themselves for the serious data breach of private medical information they are trying to blame my 6 year old child for their actions. We are still trying to help our child through the emotional trauma that they inflicted on him, it’s been really hard on us all. There are some really brilliant state primary schools in the area, whilst I wish this had never happened to my son I’m glad that he is not at that school anymore. He is in a much more nurturing place now and they really care about his well being and are being incredible in their support for him through this.